Palakkad sees surge in cases

Palakkad district witnessed a surge in COVID-19 cases with 19 people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Saturday.

They included six women and an 11-year-old girl. The number of COVID-19 patients under treatment in the district rose to 44.

When eight of them returned from Chennai, two came from Mumbai, one each from Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Gujarat and Kanchipuram. A health worker was suspected to have contracted the virus from the Walayar check-post.

Two persons who tested positive were on the primary contact list of one of the patients.

A 39-year-old man from Nellaya, Ottappalam, who returned from Kuwait on May 13 tested positive when he was under observation at Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri. A 56-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman from Chunangad, Ottappalam, who returned from Mumbai on May 20 tested positive on Saturday.

The 11-year-old girl from Vellinezhi who returned from Gujarat on May 11 tested positive on Saturday. Her sample was collected at Government Taluk Hospital, Ottappalam, on May 21.

The eight positive cases that returned from Chennai included three from Chunangad, Ottappalam, and a person from Thottakkara, Elappully. The others who returned from Chennai included a 42-year-old man from Mundur, and a 50-year-old woman, a 53-year-old man and a 20-year-old man from Kadambazhipuram.

Health worker

The one who returned from Kanchipuram was a 36-year-old man from Ottappalam who came on May 6. His sample was collected at Government Hospital, Ottappalam, on May 21. The 30-year-old man who returned from Abu Dhabi on May 7 belonged to Vallapuzha.His test too was done at Ottappalam on May 21. A 22-year-old health worker who was on duty at the Walayar check-post was confirmed positive. Her test was done at District Hospital here on May 21.

District officials said two women aged 32 and 36 whose samples were tested at the District Hospital here on May 22 were found positive on Saturday. However, it was not clear how they contracted the virus.

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